Japanese School Uniform

The sailor fuku and the gakuran are the two uniforms every Japanese school day has been dressed in for a century, and they are the one garment on this site the whole country has actually worn. The sailor top with its striped collar and bow over a pleated skirt; the black stand-collar jacket with gold buttons over straight trousers. Eight sets here, cut to be worn rather than displayed: built for cosplay, sized for adults, and photographed on a model so the fit reads.

Seifuku and gakuran: where the uniforms come from

The gakuran came first, in the 1880s, copied from the Prussian army cadet uniform: a black jacket with a high stand collar, a row of gold buttons and straight trousers. The sailor fuku followed in the 1920s, copied from the British navy: a white or navy top with a wide sailor collar edged in stripes, a bow or a scarf tie at the throat and a pleated skirt. Both became the uniform of nearly every school in Japan, and both became the uniform of Japanese pop culture, from the manga page to the idol stage, which is why they are the garment people search for when they want the look of a Japanese school without going to one.

The eight sets

Seven sailor sets and one gakuran. A long-sleeved black top with a white-striped collar and red bow over a black pleated skirt. All black with a grey-striped collar and a grey scarf tie. A white top with a sky-blue striped collar and bow over a sky-blue pleated skirt. White with a dark green collar and a green skirt, with a bow or a scarf tie. Monochrome, white top, navy collar, black bow, black skirt in three lengths. Cream or white top with a navy collar, a bordeaux bow and a navy skirt. A navy top with a white-striped collar, a red scarf tie and a navy skirt. And the gakuran: a black stand-collar jacket with gold-tone buttons and matching trousers. The high socks, the black lace-up shoes and the boston bag finish the outfit and live in footwear and accessories.

Cosplay, and wearing it past the convention

These are built for cosplay: the collars are the right width, the pleats are sharp, the bow is the right size, and the sizes run to XXXL so an adult can wear a garment cut for a teenager. But the sailor collar is also a real neckline and the pleated skirt is a real skirt, and the monochrome and navy sets have been worn to a dinner with a plain cardigan and black tights by people who were not going to a convention. The gakuran with the collar undone over a white tee is a jacket. The sailor-collar midi dress is the version that is a dress first and a uniform second.

Sizing, fabric and care

Sets are sold as top and skirt or jacket and trousers at one price. Sizes S to XXXL, with the skirt length in centimetres on the sets that offer a choice; most pieces are cut to Asian sizing, about one size smaller than US or EU, and the page says whether to size up. Polyester blends that hold a pleat and a collar. Wash cold, hang to dry, and press the pleats with a cloth; the bow and scarf tie wash by hand. Made to Japanese designs in Asia, and every page says so.

Japanese school uniform: the questions we are asked

What is a seifuku?

The Japanese school uniform in general, and the sailor uniform in particular: a sailor-collar top with a bow over a pleated skirt.

What is a gakuran?

The boys' uniform: a black jacket with a high stand collar and gold buttons, with straight trousers. It is the one the school prefect wears in every manga.

Are these adult sizes?

Yes, S to XXXL, cut for adults. Check the measurements in centimetres on each page.

Can I choose the skirt length?

On the monochrome and the black-and-white sets, yes, in three lengths. The others are one length, listed on the page.